Assemblies Without Musicians

Communities don't always have willing musical talent to perform at gatherings or the funds to pay a professional. Going without music is possible, but songs are a major component of Sunday Assembly.

• Consider pre-show and post-show music from a streaming service or your personal music library. Ensure the volume fits comfortably underneath conversation among the gathered.

  • Example: find a Spotify playlist that fits the vibe of the assembly and your community and play it from a device into your sound system. (If there are ads, lower the volume for them and monitor when they'll return.)

• As an assembly section, playing a music or lyrics video to a popular song can be successful, but the audience will engage more if someone leads or sings along from the front, much like karaoke. This song leader needs confidence (or silliness) on the stage more than music prowess.

Forming a Band

Whether paid professionals who vibe with the community or home-grown amateurs who volunteer their time, forming a group to perform live music is a powerful way to make assemblies more energetic, to evoke themes, and provide a creative way to contribute to the community.

• A single motivated person can form a band around them. Ask members directly if they've played music before and would like to with the community. Create a cadence of meeting for practice a few times a month for each assembly, and invite anyone interested to join.

• Make being in the band easy by not requiring high skill on an instrument. People with a musical background from school or who just sing in the shower may enjoy a chance to do something more. Celebrate any performance, even one with many mistakes, as an act of love for the community.

• Your band may not have every desired instrument covered each assembly. Compensate by choosing simpler songs, interpreting songs acoustically or with similar-sounding instruments, or perform to a backing track.

  • Example: if you only have singers, or a guitarist and singer, practice and perform to a karaoke-like video with lyrics (or the original), like this one of "Here Comes The Sun".

Practicing

• Depending on the skill level of the musicians, the number of songs, and the familiarity or difficulty of the song, the amount of practice required will vary. Be flexible, allowing for more or fewer practices or adding/removing songs as needed.

• Often early practices on a song will involve playing along to the track in the background. This allows the band to understand the sections of the song, the key, and make decisions about any changes.

• Some assembly bands memorize lyrics and music, while others don't. The lyrics for the audience can serve the singers, as well, usually on a different screen.

• Keep a culture of kindness, fun, and humility where feedback is supportive and accepting.

• Keep in mind what will be different between the practice space and the performance space.

  • Examples: where people and equipment are positioned, or whether any equipment or tech will be different.

Choosing Songs

• Different groups have distinct desires and motivations when deciding what songs the band will perform. Aim for pleasing all 3 groups, or at least 2 of them:

  • Musicians have their own tastes that should be recognized and accepted when possible to keep band enjoyable for them.

  • Assemblers at the gathering usually want to hear songs they recognize or enjoy, including ones they can sing along to or participate in.

  • Assembly planners may wish for some music to fit a theme or tonal vibe.

    • Examples: if the subject is a heavy one, planners may desire ballads; if the theme is about astronomy, songs about space may be requested.

Performing

• If a song has an opportunity for audience participation, take it! Demonstrate it before the song begins (or during an instrumental introduction if you're confident), and signal the audience with physical motions to get them to join in. Designating seed folks in the audience to commit to participation is helpful.

  • Examples: clapping, singing a well-known chorus a capella, call-and-response, or non-verbal melodies ("oh"s and "ah"s).

• Add context to songs with a brief intro or explanation for the choice if needed for the audience to understand. Personal stories about relating to the music can get the audience invested in the performance.

• Minimize "dead time" transitioning between the previous section and the band setting up before beginning the song (and after a song). A musician or MC can "vamp", or pass the time by lightly entertaining the audience.

Technology

• Equipment needed varies significantly depending on band make-up, instruments, existing venue systems, and level of professionalism desired.

  • Example: a band with acoustic guitar or piano may need no further equipment other than sheet music and/or lyrics sheets or slides.

  • Example: a band with singers, electric guitars, keyboard, or an electronic drum set will likely need a mixing console, microphones, many cables, and speakers.

• On assembly day, time to set up and practice in the venue is very important and can easily take more than an hour.

Keeping the Band Together

• Band practice can be considered a small group activity, and membership will change over time. Being accommodating as musicians come and go with their availability and interest is part of creating a positive environment within the band.

  • Asking for a month-long commitment for a single performance should be reasonable.

  • Open communication can ensure members don't feel obligated to keep performing when they don't want to.

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